IN a massive coup for the region, Murray Downs Golf & Country Club has snared hosting rights to the 2024 New South Wales Open.
The open is one of the most important events on the Australian golfing calendar, listed as a tier-one event.
MDG&CC chief executive Gregory Roberts was ecstatic with the announcement.
“We’re over the moon – it’s an unbelievable moment for the club,” he said.
MDG&CC president Col Edwards said: “We’re very excited to be hosting such a prestigious event, and the benefits it will bring to the community will be enormous.”
The event has been running since 1931, and its champions list is a roll call of greats, including World Golf Hall of Fame inductees Kel Nagle, Greg Norman, Peter Thompson and Norman Von Nida.
Roberts said hosting a tournament of this magnitude would put the club “in the top echelon of clubs who’ve hosted the major championship for NSW”.
“The previous winners we’re talking about are legendary figures, so to be holding this calibre of tournament will put Murray Downs on the map.
“It will make our club a must-visit for any passionate golfer nationwide.”
The open was hosted by Rich River Golf Club in Moama earlier this month, but next year the tournament’s schedule will change.
Murray Downs will host the event in November and December 2024, making it the lead into the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open.
The $400,000 prize pool will also be significantly increased to make it the third-richest event in Australia.
Foxtel and Kayo will telecast the event, and Roberts can’t wait to showcase the club to the whole country.
“We’re very confident in the product we’re going to produce – it will look fantastic on television,” he said.
Roberts believes the open will bring the Swan Hill region between $4 million and $5 million in economic benefit.
“We’re talking about hundreds of players, support staff and TV crews coming for a whole week,” he said.
“We can’t host everyone here, so it’s going to spill over the river into the cafes, restaurants and motels in Swan Hill.”
Golf NSW chief executive Stuart Fraser said the open would attract fans from all over the country.
“Events like these not only allow residents to experience world-class sport in their backyard, but it will draw fans, competitors, and officials from far and wide,” Fraser said.
“The NSW Golf Open attracts some of Australasia’s best players and gives golf lovers and sports enthusiasts a chance to get up close and personal with the country’s biggest stars.”
The class of the Murray Downs course is well known locally and Roberts believes the club is more than ready to host such a tournament.
“We’ve produced a high-quality product for many years,” he said.
“When Golf NSW arrived at the venue for the first time some years ago, they said we could host the tournament that day.
“We won’t have to do too much – we’re championship ready nearly all year round.
“But it will definitely be a challenge. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to the event and bringing these high-calibre golfers to town.”
The announcement of hosting rights comes on the back of a NSW Government and Golf NSW partnership in which 51 golf events will head to regional courses up to 2026.
Fraser thanked the NSW Government for its support.
“It is an exciting era for us to enter into this three-year partnership and to plan our events schedule knowing that we will be supporting regional NSW and giving back to local communities,” he said.
Entry is expected to be free, but marquee and sponsorship tents or areas will become available in due course.
The tournament is decided over four rounds (72 holes) of stroke play.
One hundred forty-four players participate, with 86 Professional Golf and Teachers Association players in the field.
Victorian David Micheluzzi produced a late comeback at Moama a couple of weeks ago to claim the 2023 Kel Nagle Cup, winning by two shots.
